The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-07

snonid De hanged, aud his accomplices should
receive the punishment allotted TO such offenses
by the laws of the State of Illinois Before the
pubic have never said o word concerning these
men. have never felt called upon say any
thing. for it is none of my business: yet some Of
their friends have put words of condemnation in
my mouth in order to have me say something
In their favor. / allowed il 30 go, as I have
many other false reports concerning me. undis-
puted. felt that If they could stand it, I
could"
Continuing the speaker said that his connec-
ton with anarchy within the order dated from
Nov 20, 1886, when he received letter from
Mrs. Rodgers. master workman of District As
senbly "a Of Chicago, advising him that a
luton of sympathy with the Anarchists had
been passed by the body, and that meanwhile
Its members were moving heaven and earth to
secure the release OF the condemned men, and
to utilize the order for building up political
party to be controlled and manipulated by the
Anarchists and sympathizers a q propaganda
of the nefarious doctrines concerning the do
mestc circle. government and tenure Then
followed voluminous correspondence. inter
spersed with comments. By inference the
nsassr Rahar denied that be helped to dorn
Mayor of Chicago, that he had
forbidden the members Of the order to attend
prisoned Anarchist. These and other charges
were denounced as impertinent and ras-
cally. The speaker denied that because the
General Assembly at Richmond recommended
the condemned men to the mercy of the Gov
ernor the entire order was committed to their
unqualified support. and admitted that there
the greatest difficulty that the order was saved
from crisis over this matter.
In concluding. Mr. Powderly said: 81 have
not. IN any way, interfered IN the international
affairs of any of the various societies to which
any of these men may belong aud. in doing
what did. faithfully carried out the instruc-
tions received from my predecessor, and have
lived up to the obligation took when installed
as master workman / place them before you
so that steps may be taken to put stop to the
interference of the Anarchists in the affairs Of
4 n N v m
desire for revenge or for any other purpose
than to shield the order from the attacks of
men who have grown insane on the subject OF
bringing the millennium 20 the few after they
have blown the many to atoms. The resolution
which should pass is one to demand that every
avowed Anarchist be obliged to withdraw from
fear from the trade-unions, but everything
fear from the contaminating influence OF tho
men who preach destruction in the name of our
order, and who, at the same time, assert that
they Socialists. while giving the lie
every principle of socialism when they
advocate violence of any kind. believe it to be-
the part of duty for to order
when its very life is in danger. when it is threat
ened from any source and knowing that the
destruction of the knights of Labor was plan
ned at meeting IL which these men took part.
now say that this General Assembly must take
action on the matter of allowing interference to
come from such quarter. / have here the
proofs OF the plotting and scheming of these
conspirators to do damage to the name Of labor,
and will present them at the proper time. That
because would not allow them to dictate the
policy of the Knights of Labor, and whoever
takes my place must do the Same or the order
sinks into oblivion. You now have all the
principal correspondence on anarchy; you know
what have DONE you know my position, and
leave the matter with you for final action"
of consideration; moro correspondence was sub
mitted. some of it going back for Ave years. In
the most emphatic terms the speaker denied
that he was under its influence that of any
other club He had been accused of every crime
by the members of the order in New York. but
he had never murmured. It was not the Home
Club, but promises made year ago that induced
him to 90 to New York to speak for Henry
George. He demanded that those who had
made the charges during the past year should
produce theLa now and allow the highest trib-
unal in the order 70 deal with them. He
sidered that cliques, cabals, and rings inside
the order were criminal and he had acted In ac-
cordance with this belief. In closing this
branch of the address Mr.. Powderly said:
when the last General Assembly adjourned the
officers were attacked in a most vicious manner
by some of those who were present at tbs
General Assembly. / believe that this
General ssembly should rebuke such conduct,
and do it in such way as to leave no doubt on
the minds of those who seek revenge for insults,
fancied insults. through the columns of the
public press. Whenever it becomes necessary to
differ from member on any question It can be
done inside Of the order and without betraying
vindictive spirit in the doing of il. tits clear
ly in violation OF the pledge which every man
takes to attack another's reputation through the
opportunity to defend himself before the courts
of our order. / have with me the history of the
men who have acted in official capacities and
who have slandered the officers of this order
and il it is required by tho General Assembly il
will be forthcoming. l believe that the evil
deeds Of prominent members of the General AS
semby who have held the order and its officers
up to public ridicule and scorn should be known
to the order"
Applause followed this, and the speaker
paused for a morsent to take breath. Resum-
ing, he read his circular OF May last. recon.
mending that on the Fourth OF July all the
sem bles of the order should hold demonstra-
tions and celebrate, and asked for its approval.
He also presented a lengthy letter declaring un-
constitutional the resolution passed at the last
session of the General Assembly expelling the
cigar makers, OF the ground that it was wrong
and in violation of the laws of the order. aud
solicited for it serious consideration. Passing
on TO the general good of the order, tho speaker
said that the day had come for united labor Co
ask at the hands of Congress the passage OF
law creating Department of Labor at the seat
of the national government and suggested that
the committee legislation pre-
pare bill and it to be
introduced at the next session. The day had
arrived. moreover. when the General Assembly
should take action upon that clause in the dec
laration of principles which declares that the
should obtain possession by pur-
chase under the right Of eminent domain, of all
telegraphs. telephones and railroads, and the
order should go before the next Congress and
ask for tie passage OF one two measures for
the governmental control OF railroads and tele-
graph lines A universal benefit plan, which
would give members relief in sickness and pro-
vide for their burial, was also recommended, to-
gether with a scheme for the better regulation
of State, Territorial mixed and trade assem-
blies. which has already been published. The
speaker expressed hope that the Canada del
egation would not ask for separate Jurisdiction
under threats of secession from the order, and
suggested that the provinces of Ontario and
Quebec should establish provincial assemblies
and try the result before asking for separation.
Referring the charges of his connection
with socialism, MIR. Powdery said that COM
pmentary card OF membership In the Socialistic
Labor party had once been sent him. but that he
had never cast vote for its candidates, was
never a member OF any of its sections nor had any
with it. At the same time, social
ism had nothing in common with anarchy and,
to Webster's definition, the principles
Of the order socalstic. and he would ask
for better exalted form of socialism than
was outlined in its constitution.
The speaker severely criticised the practice of